Actively released food additives

• US 9,357,865 B2
• Filed: 11/13/2012
• Issued: 06/07/2016
• Est. Priority Date: 11/13/2012
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Elwha LLC (Intellectual Ventures LLC)
• Original Assignee: Elwha LLC (Intellectual Ventures LLC)
• Inventors: Baym, Michael H., Hyde, Roderick A., Kare, Jordin T., Leuthardt, Eric C., Sweeney, Elizabeth A., Wood, Lowell L. Jr.
• Primary Examiner(s): NGUYEN, PHONG H
• Application Number:
  US13/675,935
• Publication Number:
  US 20140130358A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,302 Days
• Field of Search: 301/24, 301/25, 301/29, 301/41, 301/48, 301/49, 301/50, 30322-328
• US Class Current: 1/1
• CPC Class Codes: A47G 21/004 Table-ware comprising food additives to be used with foodstuff spoon-like infusers A47G19/16; drinking straws A47G21/183
• CPC Class Codes: A47G 21/02 Forks; Forks with ejectors; Combined forks and spoons; Salad servers
• CPC Class Codes: A47G 2400/04 Influencing taste or nutritional properties

Abstract

The present disclosure provides systems and methods for actively releasing food additives to deliver aromatic compounds to consumers during food or drink consumption. The food additives may be contained within an encapsulation layer. The encapsulation layer may be configured to release the food additives in response to being exposed to energy provided by an activation source proximate to the food additives. The activation source may be incorporated into, or connected with, an eating utensil or an oral implant. The activation source can be manually controlled by a consumer, can be controlled based on conditions near the food additives, or can be programmed with a release schedule that defines how and when food additives are to be released.

Claims

1. An eating utensil, comprising:

a utensil body comprising a handle and a distal end;

an activation source including a power source directly coupled with the distal end of the utensil body, the activation source configured to emit energy to expose at least one encapsulated food additive that is disposed proximate to the activation source to the energy so as to release the at least one food additive from encapsulation during consumption, wherein the activation source is further configured to emit the energy so as to release the at least one food additive based on a release schedule; and

a selection element directly coupled with the handle of the utensil body, wherein the selection element is configured for selecting the release schedule from a plurality of release schedules.

2. The utensil of claim 1, wherein the activation source comprises an ultrasonic source.

3. The utensil of claim 1, wherein the activation source comprises an electromagnetic source.

4. The utensil of claim 1, wherein the activation source comprises a radio frequency source.

5. The utensil of claim 1, wherein the activation source comprises a near infrared source.

6. The utensil of claim 1, wherein the utensil further comprises a sensor to determine a relative position of the utensil body to a consumer'"'"'s mouth.

7. The utensil of claim 1, wherein the utensil further comprises a sensor to determine a mass of food consumed by a consumer using the utensil.

8. The utensil of claim 1, wherein the utensil further comprises a sensor to determine a volume of food consumed by a consumer using the utensil.

9. The utensil of claim 1, wherein the utensil further comprises a sensor to measure an amount of encapsulated food additive delivered by the utensil.

10. The utensil of claim 1, wherein the utensil further comprises a sensor to measure an amount of encapsulated food additive released from encapsulation.

11. The utensil of claim 1, wherein the utensil further comprises a communication system.

12. The utensil of claim 11, wherein the communication system is configured to communicate with a computer system.

13. The utensil of claim 11, wherein the communication system is configured to communicate with an external sensor.

14. The utensil of claim 11, wherein the communication system is configured to communicate with a control device.

15. The utensil of claim 1, wherein the release schedule comprises an order for releasing a first food additive and a second food additive.

16. The utensil of claim 1, wherein the release schedule comprises an amount of a first food additive and a second food additive to release.

17. The utensil of claim 1, wherein the release schedule comprises a point of time for releasing the at least one food additive.

18. The utensil of claim 1, wherein the activation source is further configured to release the at least one food additive based on a determination that a particular cumulative amount of food has been disposed on the utensil body.

19. The utensil of claim 1, further comprising an output mechanism.

20. The utensil of claim 1, further comprising a control mechanism.

21. The utensil of claim 20, wherein the control mechanism comprises a release element which, when activated by a consumer, causes the activation source to expose the at least one encapsulated food additive to energy.

22. The utensil of claim 20, wherein the control mechanism comprises a start element which, when activated by a consumer, causes the activation source to expose the at least one encapsulated food additive to energy based on a selected release schedule.

23. An eating utensil, comprising:

a utensil body comprising a handle and a distal end;

an activation source including a power source directly coupled with the distal end of the utensil body, the activation source configured to emit ultrasonic energy to expose at least a first encapsulated food additive and a second encapsulated food additive that are disposed proximate to the activation source to the ultrasonic energy so as to release the first encapsulated food additive and the second encapsulated food additive from encapsulation during consumption, wherein the activation source is further configured to emit the ultrasonic energy so as to release the first encapsulated food additive and the second encapsulated food additive based on a release schedule; and

a selection element directly coupled with the handle of the utensil body, wherein the selection element is configured for selecting the release schedule from a plurality of release schedules.